PMG-certified Rarities from Southeast Asia Showcased in Monetarium Sale

More than 2,000 banknotes and other paper money rarities certified by Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®) are being offered in Monetarium Auction 29, being held August 6-9, 2021. Online bidding is already underway for the auction, which includes numismatic rarities from around the world, with a focus on Southeast Asia.

The top lot in the entire auction is a Sarawak (1894-1917) Dollar Specimen, graded PMG 30 Very Fine (lot 1622). It shows Charles Johnson Brooke, who from 1868 to 1917 ruled Sarawak, which today is part of Malaysia. This very rare note has an estimate of SG$140,000 to SG$170,000 (about $103,000 to $125,000 USD).

Sarawak (1894-1917) Dollar Specimen, graded PMG 30 Very Fine. Click images to enlarge.

After World War II, Sarawak was ceded to the British government by the White Rajah, and the Sarawak Dollar was replaced by the Malaya and British Borneo Dollar in 1953. This rare Malaya and British Borneo 1953 1,000 Dollars graded PMG 50 About Uncirculated (lot 1967) is being offered in the sale, with an estimate of SG$140,000 to SG$168,000 (about $103,000 to $124,000 USD)

Malaya and British Borneo 1953 1,000 Dollars graded PMG 50 About Uncirculated. Click images to enlarge.

The Malaya and British Borneo Dollar also replaced the Malayan Dollar, which itself had replaced the Straits Settlements Dollar in 1939. The auction includes a group of 10 Straits Settlements 1935 Dollars with consecutive serial numbers (lot 1767). Graded PMG Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ to PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ, they include a Radar Serial Number of 57875. This lot has an estimate of SG$130,000 to SG$158,000 (about $96,000 to $116,000 USD).

Straits Settlements / British Administration 1935 Dollar graded PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ with a Radar Serial Number. Click images to enlarge.

Other PMG-certified highlights in this sale include:

• a group of four Malaya and British Borneo 1935 notes (5, 10, 50 and 100 Dollars) with Solid Serial Numbers, graded PMG 25 Very Fine to PMG 30 Very Fine EPQ (lot 1968), with an estimate of SG$110,000 to SG$132,000 (about $81,000 to $97,000 USD)
• a group of two Singapore Board of Commissioners of Currency ND (1967) notes (100 and 1,000 Dollars) with Solid-5 Serial Numbers, each graded PMG 67 Superb Gem Unc (lot 1105), with an estimate of SG$100,000 to SG$120,000 (about $74,000 to $88,000 USD)
• a Brunei, Government of Brunei 2006 10,000 Ringgit with a Solid-5 Serial Number graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 1565), with an estimate of SG$100,000 to SG$120,000 (about $74,000 to $88,000 USD)
• a Straits Settlements 1906 1 Dollar graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 1666), with an estimate of SG$80,000 to SG$96,000 (about $59,000 to $71,000 USD)
• a Malaysia, Bank Negara ND (1967-72) 1,000 Ringgit Color Trial Specimen graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (lot 1287), with an estimate of SG$60,000 to SG$72,000 (about $44,000 to $53,000 USD)
• a group of six Malaya, State Government Printer's Models for the 1959 1 Dollar, 1958 5 Dollars and 1959 10 Dollars, all certified by PMG as genuine (lot 1964), with an estimate of SG$60,000 to SG$72,000 (about $44,000 to $53,000 USD)
• a group of two Malaya and British Borneo Specimens (1959 1 Dollar and 1961 10 Dollars) graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated EPQ and PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 2093), with an estimate of SG$60,000 to SG$72,000 (about $44,000 to $53,000 USD)
• a Singapore, Board of Commissioners of Currency ND (1973) 10,000 Dollars graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated (lot 937), with an estimate of SG$48,000 to SG$58,000 (about $35,000 to $43,000 USD)
• a Malaya / British Administration 1942 (ND 1945) 50 Dollars Specimen graded PMG 55 About Uncirculated (lot 1799), with an estimate of SG$45,000 to SG$54,000 (about $33,000 to $40,000 USD)
• a Malaysia, Bank Negara ND (1972-76) 1,000 Ringgit Specimen graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (lot 1317), with an estimate of SG$34,000 to SG$44,000 (about $25,000 to $32,000 USD)
• a Sarawak, Government of Sarawak 1940 10 Dollars graded PMG 58 Choice About Unc (lot 1610), with an estimate of SG$32,000 to SG$39,000 (about $24,000 to $29,000 USD)
• a Straits Settlements 1925 50 Dollars graded PMG 25 Very Fine (lot 1643), with an estimate of SG$25,000 to SG$30,000 (about $18,000 to $22,000 USD)
• a Malaysia, Bank Negara ND (1967-72) 1,000 Ringgit graded PMG 50 About Uncirculated NET (lot 1290), with an estimate of SG$23,000 to SG$28,000 (about $17,000 to $21,000 USD)
• a British North Borneo / Nissan Estate ND (1942) 5 Dollars graded PMG 40 Extremely Fine (lot 1594), with an estimate of SG$22,000 to SG$27,000 (about $16,000 to $20,000 USD)
• a Malaya / British Administration 1941 (ND 1945) 1 Dollar with Serial Number 1 (lot 1890), with an estimate of SG$18,000 to SG$22,000 (about $13,000 to $16,000 USD)
• a Malaya / British Administration 1942 (ND 1945) 100 Dollars graded PMG 40 Extremely Fine (lot 1788), with an estimate of SG$15,000 to SG$18,000 (about $11,000 to $13,000 USD)
• a Sarawak, Government of Sarawak 1940 10 Cents graded PMG 67 Superb Gem Unc EPQ (lot 1635), with an estimate of SG$13,000 to SG$16,000 (about $9,600 to $12,000 USD)
• a Sungei Buloh Settlement 1936 1 Dollar graded PMG 45 Choice Extremely Fine NET (lot 1713), with an estimate of SG$9,000 to SG$11,000 (about $6,600 to $8,100 USD)

All estimates are provided by the auction house.